Waiting
by Era of Rain
Summary: Suki waited. And waited. And lost hope. And then regained it. Takes place before Day of Black Sun.


**A/N: **Oh my, what's this? Yet another story about Suki in prison. Sorry, but I had to write this after Azula's comment about Suki.

**Edit**: Thanks to Numbuh 212 for the italicizing suggestion!

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Avatar: The Last Airbender, Suki would appear more, along with other minor characters. They don't though, so I clearly don't own Avatar.

* * *

Suki was brave, and she knew to never break down in front of the enemy. So, when she awoke in a Fire Nation prison, she kept a neutral expression even though her heart was racing. Refusing to let them see her fear, she glanced around the gloomy area. The prison was dim and red, with Fire Nation guards patrolling about. The other Kyoshi warriors were in the cells around her, trying to maintain a blank face like her. She smiled weakly at this – she had taught them well, it seemed. 

"Ah, so you're awake, are you?" came a voice she recognized immediately. Glaring at Azula, Suki replied coldly,

"You can torture me and the others all you like. I'd rather die than tell you anything!" Her words weren't very original, she knew, but they were true. She would never let Sokka and the others down. She would not betray them.

"Oh, I don't need to know anything," Azula smirked, "I know everything I need to know. You're just in here in case we need bait." Suki gritted her teeth. To her, that was worse than torture. Even if she was willing to die, she highly doubted Sokka – or Aang or any of his friends – would let her die. Then again, she supposed, she would do the same if Sokka, Aang, or Katara were in the Kyoshi warriors' position. Heck, they were willing to die the Avatar's flying _bison_. That had to say something about how much they were willing to defend.

"I don't need any of them to save me." Suki vowed to stay true by this. She wasn't weak, as she had told Sokka numerous times. Not a single one of her Kyoshi warriors were. They would rescue themselves, without the help of Aang and his friends. Becoming a burden was the last thing they needed to be.

"That's what you think now," Azula waved her hand, "But you'll change your mind later." With that, she walked away, not noticing Suki narrow her eyes. She would never change her mind, she promised herself.

* * *

_Can I really stay strong?_

* * *

Her makeup was itchy. It made her skin dry, and she had noticed on the faces of her fellow warriors and in the reflection of the daily water, it was fading away. Still, she refused to wipe the makeup off. They already broke part of her pride when they had captured her – they would not break the Kyoshi part of it. Taking a look around the room, she was pleased to see that all of the other warriors seemed to think the same. One of them scratched at her face, but even then, she would not wipe away the makeup. 

"We'll be all right," Suki nodded her head, "So stay strong."

* * *

_I will, I have to._

* * *

When she spotted wet splotches on the ground, Suki knew she was finally beginning to crack. Tears streamed down her face as she began to cry silently. Noticing the other Kyoshi warriors beginning to fall apart as well, she tried to stop, but discovered she couldn't. However, she eventually managed to stop crying when she heard the arrogant footsteps of someone she knew all too well. Wiping her face, she replaced her expression with one of anger. 

"My, my, your eyes are red," Azula remarked, "You've been crying."

"Have not," Suki denied, knowing the Fire Nation princess wouldn't believe her, "I've been here for months. What makes you think I'd cry now?"

"Hnn," replied Azula, "Maybe you ought to start wishing that the Avatar will come and save you all." Suki chose not to answer that. As Azula exited the prison, her thoughts drifted back to Sokka. She didn't need him to save her, and would not let him have the satisfaction of saving her.

* * *

_But really, I've already become a damsel in distress._

* * *

It seemed both of her promises were breaking. She could not stay strong, and by the time the water was brought, Suki found herself praying that Sokka would come and rescue her like a knight in shining armour. Shaking her head violently, she tried to banish those thoughts away, but gave up eventually. Sokka had to save her. Sokka had to save her. Sokka would save her. Sokka would save her… right? 

"Oh, I doubt it," Suki hadn't realised she had been thinking out loud, and unfortunately, Azula heard, "He's not going to save you."

"He will," responded Suki, "I know he will." The firebender shrugged.

"What happened to the oh-so-mighty leader of the Kyoshi warriors who said that she didn't anyone to save her?" Azula raised her eyebrows. The mentioned leader did not answer. Inside though, she knew the answer.

* * *

_I've died inside._

* * *

The day Suki finally shattered was when Azula told her the Avatar was dead and when she accepted the fact that no matter how hard she prayed, Sokka wouldn't hear her prayers. He wasn't going to come save her. The fact brought tears to Suki's eyes, leaving wet spots on the ground. Oddly enough, she hadn't cried for months, ever since that time when she had begun to break. How Suki wished she could go back to that time. She may have still been stuck in the prison, but at least then, she had some hope. Now, she had none.

* * *

_Hurry up and kill me._

* * *

It was one month later when Suki found hope again, at last. Azula had stopped by. 

"I won't be seeing you again for a while," she casually remarked, as if commenting on the weather, "It seems an invasion against the Fire Nation will take place on the solar eclipse." Suki didn't need any further explanation, and Azula didn't need to offer it. An invasion meant that there was a chance the Kyoshi warriors would be saved. It also meant that maybe, just maybe, Aang was still alive, and she would see Sokka again. After Azula left, Suki cried for the third time ever since she arrived in the prison. Sokka would come. The invasion meant more than the defeat of the Fire Nation to her – it meant life.

"We'll be all right," Suki told the other Kyoshi warriors, remembering the words she said so long ago, "So stay strong."

* * *

_Sokka is coming._

* * *

**A/N:**

This originally was going to end on a more depressing note, but I decided to not to. Too bad for Suki that Sokka didn't end up saving her during the invasion though. Oh well, she doesn't know that yet.


End file.
